Winners of the Women in Art exhibition run by Tuggerah Lakes Arts Society were announced when the show opened on Saturday, March 6.
The exhibition was staged to coincide with International Women’s Day on March 8 and showcasing 130 entries from 70 women artists across the Central Coast.
It is being held until Wednesday, March 17, at The Entrance Gallery in The Entrance Community Centre in Battley Ave.
First prize went to Danni Liu of Kariong for her Columbine artwork; second went to Donna Gilbertson of Chittaway Bay for Christmas Island Green Turtle; and, third to Marlene Palaygi of Saratoga for her Birch Forest artwork.
Highly Commended accolades went to Pat Edwards of Killarney Vale for Tibouchina; Kelly Hackett of Umina Beach for Quiet Times and Denise Ferrie for Pink Babes.
The exhibition was officially opened by guest speaker Sally Jope, who is Chair of the Central Coast International Women’s Day Combined Committee.
“The Tuggerah Lakes Art Society was founded in 1989, over 30 years ago, with the aim to promote, develop and encourage art and craft on the Central Coast and particularly the northern end of the Coast,” she said.
“Above anything, art is significant to society in that it serves to fulfill our sense of beauty and wonder about the world and provides an outlet for creative expression.
“As Chair of the International Women’s Day committee, I extend my appreciation to the Tuggerah Lakes Arts Society for the energy they have brought to the past three annual celebrations around International Women’s Day, what we call the Festival of Women, and for inaugurating the Women in Art competition and exhibition.
“This exhibition is now a main event of the Central Coast Festival of Women.”
Jope said the festival was a collection of events around International Women’s Day to celebrate and highlight the many contributions that women make to community, to business, to services.
The theme for 2021 International Women’s Day is Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.
“This theme celebrates the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Jope said.
“Women continue to stand at the front lines of the Covid crisis, as health care workers, caregivers, innovators, artists, community organisers and as some of the most exemplary and effective national leaders in combating the pandemic.
“However, across the world and here in Australia, on the Coast, women are facing increased domestic violence, unpaid care duties, unemployment and poverty.
“So it is because of this theme, about women and leadership, that my committee continues to work together to raise the profile of International Women’s Day and awareness of the contributions that women make each and every day, and to remember that there are still challenges to overcome, even though we have come a very long way.”
Jope acknowledged the hard work and commitment of the Women in Art Exhibition co-ordinators, Sam Blanks and Troy Flight, and the Tuggerah Lakes Arts Society Executive Committee, Donna Cole, Mal Hamilton and Wendy Scorgie.
Sue Murray